Chimera Simulation of a Complete Helicopter with Rotors as Actuator Discs.

The EC-145 helicopter of Eurocopter Deutschland has been numerically investigated. How a Chimera grid system for the fuselage and both rotors, modelled as actuator discs, can be assembled is commented on. The analysis of the flow solution shows the wakes of both discs by means of sheets of total pressure gains and how they develop. Also the highly vortical flow pattern behind the cell is evidenced using stream ribbons. Average values for the lift and drag coefficients could be obtained from the steady-state computation, which converged only down to a certain level since the flow proves to be inherently highly unsteady. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]